


One more day

by DailyLife



Category: Law and Order: SVU
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-01
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-04-02 07:42:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4051930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DailyLife/pseuds/DailyLife





	One more day

Saturday, May 19th. It had been exactly 1,278 days since Rafael had seen his younger brother Mark after he had been deployed to Yemen in a hot zone where Rafael wasn't able to reach Mark. Not even by mail.

It was painful, three and a half years since he had seen the boy- now man that he decided to go to Harvard for and make a good example for. And Rafael was glad that he did so- Mark had taken his example and went to the University of North Texas for a bachelors degree in Linguistics before enlisting in the Army.

The seeming slow day had yet again ended up at the precinct in the bullpen sitting in the now gone detective Amaro's now empty desk, talking with the rest of detectives. Sonny had just finished his last day of the bar exam and was anxious about his results; so he was whining about whatever he was specifically nervous about. And the day did not match his outfit, a grey and navy tie with a grey and maroon pocket square, his favored black suspenders tying the mostly Armani suit together.

Olivia exited her office in a brisk way handing Noah off quickly to Amanda as she moved closer and over to Fin's desk to grab a donut. Her babysitter was coming to get Noah so Olivia could go out with the rest of the squad after the shift ended.

The atmosphere in the room a moment dramatically changed, everyone - some slowly - turned their heads towards the doors to the bull pen. Rafael half expected for it to be a victim or a another drunk homeless man. It wasn't.

"Rafael!" A male voice said. Rafael turned his head to see Mark in uniform walking quickly towards him. His eyes welled up with tears even before he got out of the chair.

Rafael moved faster than anyone in the squad had ever seen him move before, almost hurling himself into Mark. It looked so weird to everyone else, a short man in a Armani suit crying with a slightly taller man in Army uniform.

After the jumble of Spanish that Rafael spoke he first thing in english he said was "Mark" before he actually let out a sob. The moment was so bittersweet- finally seeing him after years and he still didn't even know about any of the recent changes of their 'family dynamic' per-say. The rest of the squad just watched as the brothers hugged and the man who didn't use to have feelings did with this man.

Carisi honestly thought the man was Barba's boyfriend or husband, certainly not his brother. They were built so different, Mark tall and lean, Rafael short and broad chested.

Rafael finally let go of Mark, tears rushing down his face which he rushed to wipe from his face "Mark when did you get here?" 

Mark smiled at Rafael, happy to have made his day "About half an hour ago, came here right after I landed at JFK." His response earned him a smile from Rafael, something that which as a kid he didn't get to see much.

"You bastard you didn't even tell me you were coming home." Rafael said bluntly, he was more happy than mad at Mark though.

They both laughed lightly.

"Don't cry on my uniform anymore than you have to- your make up will rub off onto it. And I wanted to surprise you."

"Damn it Mark - you grew while you were away."

"Will always be taller than you Rafael."

Rafael sigh with a small laugh happily, before he realized that the rest of his squad was watching them.

Olivia had already stood up from her stop, Fin stood up as well. Rafael took a breath and smiled as well "well this is awkward."

A"Squad this is my brother Second Lieutenant Mark Barba. Mark this is my squad- Olivia Benson acting squad captain, Fin Tutuola, Amanda Rollins and Sonny Carisi - detectives." Rafael introduced each other.

"Pleased to meet you" Olivia said and nodded in their direction before speaking to Rafael "Rafael you didn't tell us you had a brother."

"I didn't know that he was still alive or not- Mark's been deployed in Yemen for the past three and a half years to the day." Mark smiled slightly and placed his hand on Rafael's back.

•••

That night after Rafael had gone home and Mark had gone to see Mama, he let himself curl up on the couch in sweat pants and cry into a random throw pillow. He couldn't have been happier that Mark had come home but this was just one more thing.


End file.
